News and information from our partners

News in brief

MONMOUTH — Monmouth City Council currently has a vacancy. Applications are being taken to fill the position. The applicant appointed to fill this vacancy will serve through the end of 2018. The position will be permanently filled by election in the November 2018 general election. Applications are being taken until 5 p.m. on Feb. 23. Interviews will be held on March 13 and it is anticipated the new councilor will be sworn in on March 20. Applications can be found at city Hall or on the City website www.ci.monmouth.or.us

For more information: Phyllis Bolman, 503-751-0145.

Indy PD investigates sex allegations

INDEPENDENCE — The Independence Police Department is currently conducting an investigation into a possible allegation of sexual abuse at a child care facility in Independence, according to a press release from Lt. Juventino Banuelos. The investigation is in the very early information gathering stage.

Current best practices for these types of investigations include the assessment of a child at a child abuse assessment center where the child is given the opportunity to make a disclosure if there is one to give, in a safe and child friendly environment, Banuelos said in the release. If a crime against a child is revealed during the assessment, the criminal investigation continues. This includes gathering witness and suspect statements as well as any evidence. It should be noted that more often than not, there is no physical evidence to gather due to a variety of reasons, he said in the release.

These are very sensitive and difficult investigations and much care must be taken to ensure the integrity of the investigation is maintained while of course taking into account public safety, privacy of the victims and their families, and the rights of the accused, Banuelos said in the release. Once the investigation is complete, the Independence Police Department will work with the Polk County District Attorney’s Office, where the final prosecution decision is made.

The Independence Police Department works closely with Polk County Department of Human Services, who creates a safety plan for the child or children, Banuelos said in the release. In this case, the child care facility is not currently in operation pending the results of the investigation.

No further details will be released at this time, Banuelos said.

Five arrested for DUII so far

INDEPENDENCE — Already in 2018, the Independence Police Department has made five arrests for driving under the influence of intoxicants, according to a press release from Chief Bob Mason. Two of the DUII arrests were the result of traffic crashes. Officers that worked on Super Bowl Sunday were happy to report no alcohol-related calls for service that day, Mason said in the release.

Independence officers encourage members of the community to call 911 when dangerous driving is observed, Mason said in the release, including abrupt stopping, weaving in the lane of travel, wide turning and failure to use headlights at night. When calling 911, be prepared to provide the location, direction of travel, license plate and description of driver, Mason said in the release. The Independence Police Department, in partnership with funding provided by Oregon Impact and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are committed to keeping our community safe.